Abraham's_Faith

Abraham, originally known as Abram, is one of the most prominent figures in the Old Testament. He represents the epitome of what a “man of faith” should be. He is known for being a believer of impossibilities, but was he always that faithful' The first time Abraham makes an appearance in the Bible, he is living in Ur and married to a barren women named Sarah. Terah, Abraham’s father, brought them out of Ur to go to the land of Canaan but they ended up settling in Haran. It is shortly after this the Lord called on Abraham: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land I will show you. I will make you a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great so that you will be a blessing…” (Gen. 12:1-2). God’s requests presented major challenges to Abraham’s faith. He must sever his ties with his kinsmen, to the place he had settled, and with his roots to leave for an unknown place. God gave him no description of his destination and Abraham did not where he would be or how long he would be there. Today, there are few people who would make a move with so little information. He showed great faith by accepting God’s call. Abraham has done many other things to make his faith highly regarded. He did everything God asked of him, including leaving his home, circumcision, and ultimate test of his faith, sacrificing his son. God asked Abraham to take his son, Isaac, and offer him up as a sacrifice to God. Abraham did everything God asked and was stopped by a messenger of God. Through this test, God found that Abraham was truly faithful to Him. This made Abraham a true man of faith. Despite the examples of faith which Abraham exhibited, the Bible also recounts instances when his faith faltered. A famine in Canaan caused Abraham and Sarah to move to Egypt. Since Sarah was so beautiful, Abraham asked her to claim to be his sister because he feared the Pharaoh would have him killed and take Sarah. Perhaps his biggest falter in faith came when Abraham took Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant, in the hope of having a child through. He did not have the patience to wait for God to fulfill His promise and took matters into his own hands. The Bible is not quiet about the blemishes of its major characters. Abraham’s lies and lapses in faith are displayed for all to see and demonstrate that everyone fails at some point in their life, even those who are extremely righteous. Trials in faith are what cause one’s faith to grow stronger and how one reacts to their failings is what demonstrates their righteousness. Abraham is a perfect example of someone who with help God, can overcome their weaknesses and triumph over them.